Behavior Basics
What is behavior?
A. Only inappropriate actions
B. Anything a person says or does
C. A student's attitude
D. A disability
Anything a person says or does ✅
In ABC data, A means:
A. Action
B. Antecedent
C. Attention
D. Assessment
Antecedent ✅
A student repeatedly calls the teacher's name until she responds.
Most likely function?
A. Escape
B. Attention
C. Tangible
D. Sensory
The function is...
A. Escape
B. Attention ✅
C. Tangible
D. Sensory
Which is a proactive strategy?
A. Waiting until the student escalates
B. Providing a visual schedule before the activity
C. Taking away recess after behavior
D. Calling the office
Providing a visual schedule before the activity ✅
What is the best example of specific praise?
A. Good job!
B. You're awesome!
C. I like how you started your work when I asked.
D. Finally!
I like how you started your work when I asked. ✅
Which is the BEST observable description?
A. Carlos was angry
B. Carlos was disrespectful
C. Carlos kicked his chair and yelled, “No!”
D. Carlos had a bad attitude
Carlos kicked his chair and yelled, “No!” ✅
What is an antecedent?
A. What happens immediately before the behavior
B. The behavior
C. What happens after the behavior
D. The student's consequence
What happens immediately before the behavior ✅
A student cries when work is presented. The work is removed.
Possible function?
A. Escape
B. Attention
C. Sensory
D. Tangible
The possible function is....
A. Escape ✅
B. Attention
C. Sensory
D. Tangible
Which direction is best?
A. “Would you maybe like to sit down now?”
B. “Why aren't you listening?”
C. “Sit in your chair, please.”
D. “Stop doing everything you're doing.”
“Sit in your chair, please.” ✅
A student follows a direction. What should you do?
A. Say nothing because that's expected
B. Reinforce the appropriate behavior
C. Give another difficult task immediately
D. Remind the student about yesterday's behavior
Reinforce the appropriate behavior ✅
Which statement is objective?
A. She was being lazy
B. She refused because she hates math
C. She placed her head on the desk for 8 minutes after receiving math work
D. She didn't care about completing her work
She placed her head on the desk for 8 minutes after receiving math work ✅
What is a consequence?
A. A punishment
B. What immediately happens after the behavior
C. What caused the behavior
D. What the student was thinking
A consequence is:
A. A punishment
B. What immediately happens after the behavior ✅
C. What caused the behavior
D. What the student was thinking
A student screams until staff give him his tablet.
Possible function?
A. Escape
B. Attention
C. Access/Tangible
D. Sensory
The possible function is..
A. Escape
B. Attention
C. Access/Tangible ✅
D. Sensory
A student struggles when preferred activities end. What could help?
A. Surprise transitions
B. Visual timer and transition warning
C. Repeated lectures
D. Removing all preferred activities
Visual timer and transition warning ✅
A student begins escalating. Which response is best?
A. Raise your voice so the student listens
B. Use calm, brief language
C. Explain everything the student has done wrong
D. Ask repeated questions
Use calm, brief language ✅
Why should staff define behavior specifically?
A. To make the behavior sound serious
B. So different staff can identify the same behavior
C. To determine a punishment
D. To diagnose the student
So different staff can identify the same behavior ✅
The teacher says, “Complete problems 1–5.” Sam tears the worksheet.
What is the antecedent?
A. Sam tears the paper
B. The teacher gives the math direction
C. Worksheet is removed
D. Sam dislikes math
The antecedent is.....
A. Sam tears the paper
B. The teacher gives the math direction ✅
C. Worksheet is removed
D. Sam dislikes math
A student rocks and hums when alone and continues even when nobody responds.
Possible function?
A. Attention
B. Escape
C. Tangible
D. Sensory/Automatic
The possible function is....
A. Attention
B. Escape
C. Tangible
D. Sensory/Automatic ✅
A student frequently refuses difficult assignments. Which is the best preventive strategy?
A. Give the entire worksheet at once
B. Break the assignment into smaller chunks
C. Tell the student they cannot refuse
D. Ignore the student
Break the assignment into smaller chunks ✅
A student's BIP says to use a First/Then board.
When should the para use it?
A. Only during major behavior
B. Consistently as outlined in the plan
C. Only if the teacher tells them each time
D. Only if the para thinks it is necessary
Consistently as outlined in the plan ✅
Which is NOT an appropriate behavioral description?
A. Hit peer with an open hand
B. Left assigned area without permission
C. Became frustrated because he wanted attention
D. Tore worksheet into three pieces
Became frustrated because he wanted attention ✅
Teacher says, “Time to put away the iPad.”
The student screams and hits the table.
The teacher gives the iPad back.
What is the consequence?
A. Teacher's direction
B. Student screaming
C. Student hitting the table
D. The iPad being returned
The consequence is?
A. Teacher's direction
B. Student screaming
C. Student hitting the table
D. The iPad being returned ✅
Two students both throw worksheets.
Student A throws work and staff help him complete it.
Student B throws work and peers laugh.
Can the behaviors have different functions?
A. No
B. Yes
C. Only with different diagnoses
D. Only if they are different ages
Yes ✅
Student becomes upset whenever routines unexpectedly change.
Which support would likely be most helpful?
A. Visual schedule and advance warning of changes
B. More consequences
C. Less communication
D. Waiting until the student escalates
Visual schedule and advance warning of changes ✅
What should you do if a strategy in the student's behavior plan does not seem to be working?
A. Create a new consequence
B. Stop following the plan
C. Collect information and communicate concerns to the appropriate team member
D. Try whatever works for another student
Collect information and communicate concerns to the appropriate team member ✅